kcal-watch.org.uk - free calorie counting application

The market is flooded with scales and seemingly endless choices. Simple is best and usefully cheapest. Do not be tempted by scales which include bells and whistles. This is for ordinary folk, not professional athletes. Keep it simple. These two scales below represent the simple basic style of my own.

I prefer flat-bed or platform scales for the kitchen as I can then add containers and pans rather than have to decant from jars and bowls, which gets messy and wastes your time. I maintain a list of weights of frequently used utensils so I can quickly calculate the weight of contents. In time you remember most data. You are very strongly recommended to use metric measures for reasons that will become apparent soon.

Body Weight

Weighing body weight consistently is absolutely vital. I was always taught not to weigh too often. That was true in the days of unreliable analogue scales. Now I say you must weigh often using electronic scales. In the weight loss phase (only) you will be recording your weight daily. Seconds of a job. Weighing immediately on rising while disrobed, after emptying the bladder. That weight noted on the weight chart. Weighing at night as well just before retiring. Also disrobed and after emptying the bladder.

The weight difference between night and morning will always vary around 1kg (1000g) and is perfectly normal.

I quote my morning weight average when asked. This average is calculated for you automatically by the spreadsheet supplied here. NB: The average morning weight is only relevant and calculated in the weight-maintenance phase, after you have hit your target weight. You may choose to record weight after you have achieved your target weight. That is up to you. I do so indefinitely. You should continue to weigh daily even if you do not record the data.

Kitchen Scales

I weigh everything, including liquids. Weighing liquids easier, quicker and cleaner. It takes seconds once you are organised. Usefully, 100g (grams) of pure water is also 100ml (millilitres) of pure water. Technically that does not apply to semi-skimmed milk or other liquids but the difference is so minute it does not matter and is not worth noting. Using measuring spoons and jars wastes food, is messy and takes time. This is why metric is easiest. If 50ml is required, weigh 50g directly into your mix.

Everything becomes so instinctive and routine you are no longer conscious of the process, which is measured in seconds.

Having long since reached my goal I largely now only weigh some main ingredients or portions and of course when producing recipes, which we all routinely do anyway.

My new substantial knowledge and instinct is working for me permanently. My brain automatically does most calculations unconsciously. But I always, no exceptions, keep a record of body weight, night and morning. This is my main control, which takes only a few seconds and will quickly detect any drift away from target weight. Far easier to prevent weight-gain than to lose weight later. The latter will be discussed elsewhere.

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